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Jayhawk_Colin · 02-23-2006, 04:38 PM

By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN Insider

Players report to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis Wednesday, but the heart of the combine, with workouts and measurements, won't really heat up until the weekend.

I will have an update next Tuesday of the combine, but until then it's time to reach into the mailbag one more time and answer questions about April's NFL draft.

What do you see the Buccaneers doing in the first round? Will they finally go out and get some help on the offensive line? -- Gary, North Port, Fla.
The Buccaneers would like another wide receiver and get some depth behind Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton. They could also use a left tackle and the strong-side linebacker spot, which is why I'm projecting them to take Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans with the 23rd pick.

Auburn had an excellent draft last year, one of their best in a long time. Who do you see getting drafted from Auburn this year and how high? -- Paul, Indianapolis
The first player off the board from Auburn probably will be offensive tackle Marcus McNeill. He did not have a great year, but got better as the season went on and had a decent week at the Senior Bowl. He's a first-round possibility, which is why I have him going to the Dallas Cowboys, who need offensive line help.

Auburn's Devin Aromashodu is one of the most underrated wide receivers going into the NFL scouting combine and individual workouts. He has excellent speed and had a decent week at the Senior Bowl. His route running needs to improve -- he tends to round off his patterns -- but he has very good hands. Aromashodu will be a good choice and could go as high as the second round.

What do you think the Ravens will do in the draft? Is [there] a possibility they trade Jamal Lewis come draft day? -- Steve, Baltimore
The situation with Jamal Lewis is still very much up in the air. Chester Taylor is an unrestricted free agent and the Ravens would like to have him back.

In terms of their needs, the Ravens will bring in a running back at some point, but they need a veteran quarterback to compete and challenge Kyle Boller for the starting job. They can't go into the season with Boller as their only starting quarterback option.

The Ravens also could use help at guard, defensive line and depth at cornerback. They want to bring back Dale Carter and feel he has a good role with the team, but they need depth at that position.

With the connection between Norm Chow and Matt Leinart, do you see the Tennessee Titans trading up one spot with New Orleans? -- Steve, Buffalo, N.Y.
The Titans don't have to do that. Leinart and Vince Young are very equal. They are different in terms of their style, but they have similar grades. It just depends who you like the most.

Unless Houston surprises everyone and takes Young, Tennessee is going to be OK picking third and getting a quarterback. Remember, the Titans still have Steve McNair and Billy Volek, so they are in good shape at that position. They don't need to force anything.

The Cowboys need to improve at safety, but they are getting old at wide receiver as well. Do you see them going after a safety or Ohio State wide receiver Santonio Holmes? -- Mark, Tiffin, Ohio
I don't know if Holmes will still be there when Dallas picks because he should be the first wide receiver off the board. Dallas also needs a free safety, so someone like Ko Simpson would be a good pick. Dallas also needs a right tackle (someone like McNeill) and an inside linebacker. Dallas will be able to go in a number of directions in the first round when it picks 18th overall.

I haven't seen much from you as far as the San Diego Chargers. What is the best pick for them in the first round, safety Ko Simpson or an offensive lineman? -- Troy, Brighton, Colo.
Simpson would be a very good pick, same with Holmes, because San Diego doesn't have a true No. 1 wide receiver.

The Chargers' situation mirrors the Cowboys': both need help at free safety and wide receiver. Both teams are eyeing the same players because San Diego picks right after Dallas.

Provided Jason Allen is medically cleared by doctors and has a good workout at the combine, could he move back into the first round where he was projected earlier in the season? If not, where do you see him going and will he play either cornerback or safety? -- James, Decatur, Ala.
Allen will be a cornerback initially, but if he doesn't cut it then he could be moved to safety. Allen would have been a first-round pick before he suffered a season-ending hip injury against Georgia.

It's hard to say if he can move back into the first round because we don't know what his medical situation is going into the combine. If he checks out favorably, I could see Allen going in the second round, but I'm not sure about the first round right now.

Is UAB quarterback Darrell Hackney still a draft prospect or will he go undrafted? -- Kelly, Columbia, S.C.
Hackney will either be a late-round pick or go as an undrafted free agent. He was all over the place with his throws and very inaccurate at the Senior Bowl practices, and that really hurt his draft stock. He was a fourth- or fifth-round possibility at UAB, but struggling as much as he did at the Senior Bowl could drop him out of the draft.

If Jeremy Bloom runs under 4.30 in the 40-yard dash do you think he'll be a second-round pick? -- Erik, Blue Bell, Pa.
I have Bloom as a third- or fourth-round pick. He's not going to move into the second round because he hasn't played football in two years and is going to be rusty.

He has great potential in terms of being a punt returner and could help a team right away on special teams. He'll settle in as a team's fourth or fifth wide receiver down the line because he has good hands and is explosive. But you don't just miss two seasons and take the NFL by storm. Look at Lions wide receiver Mike Williams. He struggled last year and that was after missing only one year of football.

If Bloom is a third-round pick, that's a lot to be proud of, and it's a very viable scenario.

If the Jets draft QB Jay Cutler with the fourth pick, could Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson fall to the Bills with the eighth pick? -- Mark, Buffalo
Yes, but you would also have to envision a scenario where a team or teams would trade up to draft Ferguson if he slides down that far. Left tackle is the Bills' No. 1 need area, and even they could trade up one spot with the 49ers to insure they get Ferguson, assuming he is still on the board.